5 bears moved, 1 killed in B.C. community

Five bears that had been lingering in a B.C. First Nations community, including near a day care, have now been relocated, but a sixth bear had to be put down, conservation officers say.

The officers were called in when members of the Adams Lake First Nation near Kamloops raised concerns about their safety after the bears decided to take up residence in the community.

Two bears were relocated Wednesday and three more, including a mother and two cubs, were moved Thursday.

Another had to be euthanized because it had become used to garbage and was aggressive toward people, Conservation Insp. Darcy MacPhee said.

MacPhee said the relocation is quite stressful for the animals and it's possible the bears will return now that they know the area is a food source.

"We were very lucky in some regards to the fact that we were able to get the bears into low enough trees that we could tranquilize, low enough that when they fell they would not be injured. So we definitely had some luck on our side, or the bears did."

MacPhee said that even though the initial estimate put as many as a dozen bears in the community, conservation service activities at Adams Lake will now be wound down.

MacPhee said the body of the bear that was put down has been turned over to the local band to use for cultural and social purposes.